A report to Victorian Parliament has made a series of recommendations after an inquiry into the 2022 state election.
The Victorian Parliament’s Electoral Matters Committee has recommended a shortened voting period, a code of conduct for candidates and campaigners, better training for electoral officials, and reform to the upper house.
The report was informed by the experiences of voters, candidates, parties, and other stakeholders in the 2022 state election, which was the biggest in the state’s history.
A record number of voters and candidates turned out but with this came increased complexity for the Victorian Electoral Commission.
More than 100 submissions and nine days of hearings from the inquiry informed the report, which had 98 recommendations.
The state government has six months to respond to the report.
If the recommendations were to be accepted, the early voting period would be shortened to seven days from 12 but have longer hours.
It would also see the introduction of a code of conduct and enforcement powers to address poor behaviour by candidates and campaigners.
Committee chair Luba Grigorovich said the situation was fine, but that things could be better.
“Our overall assessment is that the election was conducted fairly and democratically, though there were some areas where improvements are needed,” she said.
“Elections are about giving all Victorians a say in who should represent them in Parliament. We need to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to vote, and that the process is fair, secure, and accurate.”
